Solitary and Silent
by headaches4ever
Summary: a four part series. SasuNaru. Another Scenario in which Sasuke returns to Konoha after spending time with Orochimaru... Angst, pretty awesome too.
1. Return

Solitary and Silent

At three in the morning two 19 year olds crossed through the barrier into the city of Konoha. One was leading another that was tied up and blinded. As they passed the sentry the first nodded in greeting. The guard raised a hand and also nodded.

Usually, protocol would've required for the party to state their name and business, even anbu, like this party. For safety or security, the sentry didn't know or for that matter; particularly care. He just let them pass because he knew even though the face of the leader was masked, who it was. The bright, spike blonde hair stood out well in the night.

The anbu mask was a fox, enough of a reason to know who this was. His business was plainly stated not only by the guard's previous knowledge of Naruto's intentions, but also because the man who was bound and blinded behind him was irrefutably Sasuke.

Naruto was grateful that Shikamaru had let them pass without incidence. Everyone knew, especially Naruto, that Sasuke was a pretty big deal in Konoha.

Of course he was.

Sasuke had left the village not only the most powerful individual his age but also the most important. As the second to last heir of the Uchiha line, he was of great concern to Sandaime, maybe not as much of a concern to him as Naruto was, but still pretty damn important.

Needless to say that when he abandoned the village to go with Orochimaru, the Tsunade and the power-holders sent countless missions in attempt to retrieve him.

All failed.

Sasuke was very powerful, not even Naruto could beat him...but somehow, Sasuke was with Naruto, entering the village in the little hours of the night.

Shikamaru should have reported this but he knew that Naruto was probably tired, probably had no bad intentions, and he would probably reveal his catch in good time. He knew they would tell Godaime eventually. Mostly Shikmaru didn't care.

Naruto had no plans to show Sasuke off, he wasn't ready to. Also he didn't know if Sasuke was ready to be shown off.

He led Sasuke through the dark streets without sound and without conversation. There had been no conversation at all the entire time. Naruto had talked, but Sasuke didn't.

Nothing.  
Just the angry glare. It made Naruto lonely...

He was very glad, ecstatic that he had captured him, but this happiness was short lived due to Sasuke's lack of enthusiasm. When Naruto got closer to the village he told Sasuke he was going to tie him up; mostly for show... Sasuke said nothing and let Naruto tie the ropes around his wrists, and giving him a disdainful glance while he tied a white cloth over Sasuke's eyes...

Thank God Sasuke wasn't staring anymore, it freaked out the blonde to see his former teammate's eyes filled with such malice for everything.

They wound their way to Naruto's apartment building. Naruto took out his key, merely out of habit, he had discovered house keys were useless in a town full of Ninjas. Usually he just broke into his own home. But tonight he put the worn out key into the lock and twisted. The door opened and they walked in, welcomed by a rundown hall and some stairs. They had to go up three flights of stairs to reach Naruto's apartment. 

He groaned; he was worn out and would probably have to let Sasuke see to get up them.

He reached over and yanked down the fabric blinding Sasuke. His eyes hadn't changed.

Naruto stubbornly ignored it, grunted, and began plodding up the stairs. Sasuke followed. His expression was somewhat amused, but Naruto couldn't see it.

The pair arrived after three rests, one on each floor. If Sasuke had needed them, he didn't give any indication. But Naruto needed it so he sat down on the last step of each flight while Sasuke stood.

Waiting.

Staring.

When the blonde would finally feel able to move on he would stand up, glare back at Sasuke and turned to go up the stairs again.

"Yeah, yeah..."

They got to his door and he dug through his pockets to find the other key and was unable to do so. The other pocket also was empty.

"Hold on Sasuke..." He murmured, searching his pack, "I cant find my keys."

Naruto found no keys, though in his search he came across some pins. He proceeded to pick the lock. It took less than two seconds.

"Ha!" Naruto blurted out at his tiny victory. He was grinning widely as he turned the knob and threw upon his door. The hinges squealed as it slammed into the wall and bounced back a little.

Not much.

Honestly there wasn't that much that was expected, so Sasuke wasn't surprised. There was a kitchen, a bed , and a table with four chairs. Though why there were four, Naruto let alone Sasuke, had no clue. Sasuke assumed they were bought as a set. No one went to Naruto's house and only a few had ever been there. Iruka had come over on occasion for low-rate, generic ramen, but mostly to try to prove to himself that he meant something to the Uzamaki boy.

When Sasuke left, all this stopped and Naruto's house became foreign territory to everyone but the inhabitant.

The bathroom was off the main room, also it had a door that didn't look like would pass any land lord's test. Luckily the land lord was one of the people that thought Naruto needed to be killed because of what he was. She never stopped by.

Naruto reached over to the wall and flicked a switch and the lights came on blaringly. They were usually dim but both of the boys' eyes had adjusted to the seemingly unending night.

"well...uh...yeah...I gotta pee." Naruto said blandly, "Do whatever."

He headed towards the miserable excuse for a can, closed the door and turned on the single bulb located on the ceiling.

Sasuke stood. He looked at the closed bathroom door, a cursory evaluation of the space, then to the closed front door. His hands were still tied together. He registered this, moved his hands around a few times and the twine fell to the floor. The material had left red scrapes on his wrists. He rubbed them and reached his hand to the front door. His pale fingers rested on the bronze knob. He gripped the handle. His knuckles began to blanch. His face scrunched up in anger and confusion.

He wanted to leave. He didn't belong here, and this was wrong. Naruto was trying to save him.

He was beyond salvation.

But Sasuke wanted to stay too. He needed to leave, he had to go.

He just couldn't.

He stared at his hand, so close to opening the door. 

The bathroom door creaked open, the toilet flushed. Naruto came out and stopped where he was. He watched Sasuke. Naruto's mind began to look for options. Should he stop Sasuke? Could he stop Sasuke? Should he call out, verbally reprimand him?

Naruto said nothing just watched, perplexed and downcast. He stood up straight and rested his hand on one of the chairs.

Waiting.

Time passed. Both minds raced.

Naruto became more confident knowing if it was taking up so much time for Sasuke to plan his course of action he had to be somewhat reluctant about leaving.

Naruto pulled out a chair and quietly sat. He put his hands behind his head and continued to wait for Sasuke. Naruto could see him quivering a bit.

Sasuke abruptly let go. It appeared as if the door had released him.

"Thanks," The word felt strange to Naruto after so much silence, he didn't stutter though, "fff... I dont know about you but am f'ing starved..." 


	2. Ramen

Sasuke had turned to face Naruto again. He had taken off the anbu mask and discarded it somewhere. Sasuke thought it looked on him and it might take some getting used to. He had never imagined Naruto in such a powerful position. Sasuke didn't think Naruto had it in him.

Naruto had also removed the white covering that protected the chest, leaving him only with the under shirt, and some sweats. Comfy.

Sasuke still didn't move as Naruto went to the kitchen area and scrounged out two bowls of "just add water" ramen. After a few minutes the meals were complete and Naruto brought both of them to the table.

"Come eat..." Naruto said through a weak smile, it looked a bit pathetic. Sasuke gave no response, "Or not." he added skeptically.

He ate anyway. Naruto was very focused on his food and chopsticks. The way he intently gazed at the mechanism made him look thoroughly entertained. Whatever it took to avoid the bleak cold that Sasuke was emitting. He was half done when he saw Sasuke had joined him.

He felt stupid he hadn't noticed. He quickly finished as Sasuke slowly begun. He laboriously transferred the noodles from the Styrofoam bowl to his mouth.

Naruto rose and threw away his trash.

He yawned loudly and stretched. Naruto went and flopped down on his bed, He mumbled something, but Sasuke was unable to hear it. This followed shortly by soft snores.

Sasuke methodically finished his food.

He sat.

Eventually he got up and threw away the remnants and went to the bathroom.

The bathroom was just as bleak as the remainder of the house. Toilet, shower/bath combination, sink, mirror and a towel rack. Sasuke relieved himself and began to exit the bathroom.

He was stopped by ominous red stains in the shower.

It was blood.

Naruto's.

Sasuke went to the tub and knelt down. It was dry. Sasuke knew Naruto had been injured from their fight. He could tell from the numerous stops on the stairs. Naruto had also disappeared into the woods often on their return, leaving soiled bandages in the bushes.

The odd thing was that this blood was not fresh,. It wouldn't have been possible for it to have dried in the amount of time that it had been since the blonde had been in there.

Naruto must have obtained an injury from practice or a mission before Sasuke's. That or he had been menstruating during a shower...

Sasuke didn't want to sleep in Naruto's bed, especially while Naruto was in it. He was as still as a neurotic hamster on crack. Always twitching and repositioning himself.

It was eerie. Naruto seemed panicked. It troubled Sasuke briefly.

He decided he would sleep in one of the chairs while resting his head on the table. Not very commodious but it would work.

After four short hours of sleep, Sasuke was awoken by Naruto riffling through the cabinets. More ramen.

"Sasuke, I know you probably don't want ramen for breakfast; but it's all I've got." Naruto rolled his eyes, "So either you get ramen or we can stop somewhere on the way to Tsunade's..."

Sasuke grunted. He knew it wouldn't be wise to eat breakfast at a diner, lest they cause some sort of scene. 

"Ramen it is..."

Later that day as they were returning to the apartment the two boys got quite a few astonished stares. Heard mutterings of "Sasuke is back" and the like.

As they were coming from the Hokage's, Naruto smirked at the council's dismay. There had been no charges raised against Sasuke. He technically hadn't done anything wrong. Had never killed anyone and never aided Orochimaru in his numerous slaughters. Frankly, all he had done was disappeared.

Sasuke was free to exist in Konoha again. If he wanted he could leave, they just hoped he wouldn't.

On the walk back, Naruto was idly chatting up Sasuke...

"Nice weather... So glad to be out of that mask, it is such a pain in the ass to be required to wear it 'at all times during missions'" The last bit was said in a mimicking voice, though who was being imitated Sasuke didn't know. "Fucking stifling."

He looked out of the sides of his eyes at Sasuke, still moseying forward.

"You know Sasuke, you could set up an appointment and go get your anbu certification so that me and you could kick ass at the same level!" Naruto commented, genuinely enthused.

He began to think about what would've happened if Sasuke hadn't left. Would he have gone and gotten his certification? He became glum.

He knew that even though he was glad Sasuke was back that, Sasuke had his own residence and would want to start a new life.

"You know I should've told ya earlier dont feel obligated to stay at my place. I kinda held out on the fact that I have the keys to your apartment." As he said this he threw a set of keys to Sasuke, who caught them. "So..um...yeah."

Naruto left Sasuke standing there and went to his house.

He was fixing more ramen while tears fell down his scarred cheeks. The salty tears dripped into the bowl as he stirred the boiling noodles. The pot began to overflow and the sizzle of the water on the burner masked Naruto's slight sob. 

He felt empty knowing he had served his purpose. He saved Sasuke; so now the Uchiha could live happily ever after and that should make Naruto glad. But he felt so hopeless now. There was nothing left.

It hurt to feel such emptiness. Is this how Sasuke felt? He hoped to God that Sasuke never had to bear this emotional burden.

As he was pouring the soup from he pot to the tear filled bowl he heard a rattle at the door.

The creak that it made while opening surprised him; he set down his lunch and turned, prepared for an assassin, prepared for anything.

Except this.

The intruder had a arrogant smirk on his face as he spoke.

"I want Ramen." 


	3. Bloody

After the hype of Sasuke's return died down, gossip turned to where the prodigy had taken up residence. Many would question Sasuke while he was on errands or just walking, why such a gifted boy, like himself, was living with the psychotic mess that was the "demon boy".

Of course, Sasuke had no answer for them. He had no answers for anything or anyone. He hadn't spoken aside from that one afternoon to Naruto.

He gave no answers. He would let people make of it what they wanted. They weren't going to believe him, because he was usually viewed as much of a psychotic mess as his 'companion'.

Who cared?

He didn't.

Eventually that gossip also faded and no one questioned about the two. A month or so after Sasuke had been retrieved, Naruto took him to get tested for anbu.

He passed with outstanding marks, "Just as a Uchiha should," said one of the judges. He was answered with a trademark glare.

Word then spread that Sasuke couldn't talk and that was a bitch for both Naruto and the silent Sasuke.

How obvious it was.

Sasuke hadn't talked since he returned, only once to Naruto. He made no contact with anyone else. 

This was troublesome for Naruto because he felt insane talking to himself all the time. Hoping that maybe Sasuke was listening.

He wished he would say something: anything. Even a terse "I hate you" would make Naruto happy. He didn't understand if he was doing something wrong, if he should be doing something for Sasuke. He just had no idea and it ate at him.

Badly.

It had been almost a year and a half since Sasuke told Naruto he wanted ramen and Sasuke wasn't sure why he had offered that gesture of kindness. He could have gone home.

Was it even home anymore?

Maybe he wanted pity. Sasuke never knew what he wanted. It was always a blur. But for some reason he was compelled to go to Naruto and reach out to him.

He had done that, and he was again lost and living out every day mechanically.

He knew what Naruto did when he came home from work or a mission. He knew what was going on when the bathroom door was closed. He figured out why there was always dried blood in he bathtub. 

Naruto had occasionally washed away the blood, when Sasuke pointed it out to him, Naruto would feed him some line of bullshit about minor injuries contracted on missions. If Sasuke felt the urge to comment he would've brought up the fact that Naruto was obviously shitting out his mouth as he lied to Sasuke. But he didn't.

He felt the reverberations in the apartment, as he heard the sobs in the middle of the night. Many times Sasuke awoke on his recently purchased futon to see a sliver of opaque light coming from the cracks of the bathroom door.

He acted indifferent when he heard whimpering.

The whole time Sasuke was blank. And confused. Why would Naruto do this when he thinks I'm not looking... Sasuke pondered occasionally.

Naruto had what we wanted right? He was happy? Sasuke could not figure it out.

Though Naruto had the Kyuubi's power, he had his amazing ability to rapidly heal, so at first Sasuke couldn't be sure about his guesses. Also, Naruto vented to him everyday about problems in his life.

While Sasuke listened with a look of intensity on his face, he did have some problems but they weren't horribly overwhelming.

Naruto was holding back on something. Sasuke didn't know what it was and he tried to not care; if Naruto wanted to tell him, he would.

A month or so later Sasuke's suspicions were confirmed. 

Naruto was spending more time in the bathroom.

One day Sasuke decided to tap on the door.

"Oh. Sorry, one sec Sasuke I'm almost done!" A minute later Naruto emerged, cheery as ever with a hoodie and jeans on. He grinned, "It might stink a smidge."

The next day Sasuke watched his roommate more carefully than usual. What he saw wasn't good.

At dinner that night Sasuke threw glares that were more hateful than usual at Naurto. Suspicious hate glares. Naruto didn't get the hint.

"Is my cooking that bad?" Naurto had been trying to go outside the box in terms of their cuisine. It wasn't working. He took another bite, "It is a bit salty..."

"GODDAMMIT NARUTO!" Sasuke yelled, pounding his fists on the table.

Naruto was flabbergasted. Trying to play it off with a humorous comment; and a confused smile.

"That bad?"

"You dumbass, I don't give a shit about your cooking." His voice only sounded dry, but different than what Naruto remembered.

"What?"

Sasuke stoop up so quickly the blood rushed to his head as the chair screeched backwards. Naruto looked at him... He didn't react fast enough.

Sasuke was already across the table with Naruto's shirt collar in his grip. He hadn't expected Sasuke to move that fast.

Granted, he was anbu.

"What the hell Sasuke?!" Pause, "Are you trying to kill me?"

Sasuke slammed him into the nearest wall.

"What are you trying to prove, bastard?" Sasuke's hand was around Naruto's neck. He was scarred. It was too nostalgic. Things were surfacing that Naruto didn't want to remember about Sasuke. He thought of the lake, of the feeling of Sasuke's arm through is chest. The blood. Was Sasuke killing him again?

"You are so fucking stupid!" Sasuke growled; mere inches from the blonde's face.

"Sasuke I don't get it." Naruto had given up, too many memories, let Sasuke kill him. He looked sad.

Sasuke used his free hand to grab Naruto's arm and yanked it into his view.

"Well, I don't get this."

Naruto blushed. He tried to avert his eyes away from his friend. Sasuke let go of his throat and pushed up the sleeve of the hand he was holding. There were fresh gashes on top of old scars. All on top of even older scars. The fresh cuts weren't even healed over yet.

It horrified Sasuke. He had no idea it was so bad.

He looked back to Naruto's face. His eyes were shut and watery. His eyebrows were knotted in anguish and his face was red.

"God Naruto." 


	4. Resolution

Naruto tried to pull his arm away, succeeding only in opening up some of the cuts. They began to bleed.

Sasuke felt the blood on his hand. It was warm. His face stiffened, he became angry again.

"Why?"

Naruto tried to punch Sasuke with his other hand. It hit Sasuke in the chest. It hurt. But he knew Naruto could punch harder than that.

Sasuke slammed his palm on the wall by Naruto's head. He quivered.

"Damnit, I said why?"

Naruto crumpled and slid down the wall to the floor, Sasuke still held his arm.

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?" His rage was calming.

"Say it Naruto."

"I..." He looked everywhere but where Sasuke was, "missed hearing you talk."

"What?" Angrier, "You took up self mutilation because I don't talk?"

"Fuck you Sasuke." Meeting Sasuke's anger now, hate seething in his eyes, "You have no clue. Yeah, I pity you cuz you had to be with Orochimaru, but that was your own choice. Shit, man, you left me an' everyone else for your own selfish reasons." breath, "Then you let me take you back only to let me sit in my own shallow pool of misery wondering what I have done to make you like this."

"I don't get it..."

"Do you even know how hard it was to fight you? To get beaten up by your best friend? I wanted to die. Sasuke, people love you. Everyone hates me. You have no idea what I had to go through while you were away. I talked to no one because no one would even look at me. I was nothing without you next to me. It was a childhood I didn't need to relive. The only thing that had ever validated me was you!"

"So? I'm back you're valid again!"

"That's not what matters!" Naruto was shouting now.

Sasuke kneeled down to look him in the face. Naruto was crying, the emotion in his eyes looked exactly as cold and angry as Sasuke's usually did. It made Sasuke shiver.

Naruto was emanating a lot of angst.

Sasuke had blood all over him from the blonde's arm.

"It's not that superficial."

No answer.

"Stop it with the silent act shit!" Naruto pushed Sasuke, "Who do you think you are? huh?"

Sasuke was surprised by this. He didn't know who he was. Wasn't it obvious?

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" He was fuming, "You act so pretentious, with your new vow of silence, like somehow you were the only one who was wronged!"

This time Naruto edged forward, examining Sasuke. It got under his skin. These were such foreign emotions that he was emitting.

"Well you weren't the only one." The blonde growled. His eyes were beginning to turn red. He didn't sound like Naruto anymore. The voice was deeper.

Monstrous.

Not good. 

"Calm down, Naruto..."

He would not be soothed.

"Was it how you planned? Us beating the shit out of each other?"

Sasuke chose not to answer.

"You leaving me bleeding and cold in the rain with no explanation besides you blatant hunger for more power? Then you let me," Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, "Oh, I know, You let me bring you back so you could live in solitude"  
Naruto was breathing heavily. The monster inside still clawing it's way out.

"Did you think you were doing me a favor by staying at my place? Do you?" He looked directly into Sasuke's eyes, "You are not the friend you used to be."

The last words stung both of the young men. Sasuke for the insult and Naruto for having said it.

Neither knew how to react so they sat there for some time.

Sasuke put his bloody hands to his face. This was wrong. Everything about it was positively horrid.

"I wasn't trying to do any favors for anybody" He sounded so calm. More calm than anything he had said before. He sounded sad but his face was still unreadable.

Naruto looked at him. Scoured him. His friends face was older than he remembered. It was scarred in some places.

Even though Sasuke had let Naruto win, or so he made it seem, he had still gotten whooped. He had gotten scars that would never heal, so had Naruto. Naruto's scars had healed but he could still feel them. And now Naruto had been scarring himself, and the whole while, Sasuke had done nothing.

Naruto was right; He wasn't the friend he had been. He felt cold, very cold.

"Sasuke... why won't you talk?" He had mellowed out, his eyes were blue, his voice was smooth and his own. "is it because of me?"

This confused Sasuke. Why would Naruto think it was him? Was he that insecure about himself? Or maybe Sasuke had made him insecure.

"I just don't have that much to say..." He smirked.

The old Sasuke. The one that smirked. Was this the same one? Had he not been completely over taken by Orochimaru? Naruto smiled through tears, it was still Sasuke.

The blood was dripping off Sasuke's hand, and down Naruto's arm.

"Naruto, this needs to stop." Sasuke said with all the sternness of a parent.

"What do you care..." he halfheartedly mumbled.

Sasuke responded by inching closer to Naruto, his eyes concerned and caring.

"What are you doing?" Naruto was more frustrated than angry, "Sas--" he was cut off. 

"because, He was intently staring at the blonde, "because I," Sasuke was struggling to put it flawlessly understandable, "I care for you..."

"What?" All the anger was gone, replaced by befuddled confusion.

Sasuke leaned forward and lightly kissed Naruto's forehead.

"Sasuke?"

" I love you." He curled a hand around Naruto's head, pulling him closer, and kissed him on the mouth. After the initial surprise, Naruto kissed back.

They broke apart, looking each other in the eye.

"I love you too."

Sasuke reached his other arm around Naruto's back, while weaving his other hand into Naruto's hair.

Naruto returned the embrace. . He sobbed into Sasuke's shoulder, his shirt soon became wet with tears. The sobs racked his entire body. Sasuke absorbed the shock as best as gently as he could. Naruto squeezed him tightly.

"Naruto?"

"I'm so glad..." He sniffled and gasped, "that you stayed." he cried more, "I was so afraid you would leave..."

He pulled away and looked at Sasuke through teary eyes. "The constant fear of you leaving," Naruto glanced away, "If you left I wouldn't be able to live. I barely made it through the first time you disappeared. I didn't think I could do it again."

"Naruto, I'm never leaving."

Naurto embraced him harder. He grinned through his tears, and mumbled into Sasuke's chest:

"Good..."

Sasuke put his hand to Naruto's cheek, then lifted his chin. He looked into Naruto's eyes for a few seconds, and kissed him again.

Sasuke pulled away abruptly, leaving Naruto wanting more.

"What can I do to keep you happy?" Naruto didn't understand, so Sasuke elaborated, "What can I do to make this stop?"

His eyes flickered over to Naruto's arms.

He finally comprehended.

"You could stay."

"I can do that."

END 


End file.
